Myths and Legends

Infinos and the Mistletoe

A myth submitted to the site by Kate Cowland

In a town called Thetineus., Ancient Greece

A baby boy had been born. He was the mother’s only possession as she was a very poor (but humble) woman. When Infinos was born, his biological father made all the harmful things in the world promise not to hurt him. She kept the secret to herself that the boy, Infinos, was Zeus’ son.

Infinos grew. He grew to be a great warrior that won many battles against other kingdoms. He brought great riches to his home town and many men were jealous of his achievement. One night, six men set off to murder Infinos in his sleep with fire torches and sharp pitchforks. When the men arrived in Infinos’ room, Heletrus (the leader of the troop), set fire to his bed while the other five men stabbed him.

The following sunrise, Heletrus watched Infinos’ home, and to his repulsion and dismay, Infinos strolled out completely unharmed. Heletrus ran into the forest in rage. He had heard rumours about the only thing to kill Infinos and resulted to picking a long stork of mistletoe. Carefully, he loaded the stork into his bow.

Heletrus snuck back into town and aimed the mistletoe at Infinos’ heart. He was busy pulling up a barrel of water from the well. Heletrus pulled back the string and let it go. The mistletoe burrowed itself deep into Infinos’ heart. He collapsed, and in front of the whole village, died.

When Heletrus went to bed that night, he saw Infinos in his dreams. He was standing beside the god Zeus. “Heletrus, you killed my son,” Zeus growled.
“He was your son?” Heletrus stuttered in surprise.
Zeus nodded, “And for that thou shall pay!” A great ball of light started to form in front of them. Zeus murmured a spell under his breath and shot the ball at Heletrus.

In the morning, when Heletrus didn’t show up for work, a group of men went to his house. They found him, dead, with a large hole in the middle of his chest.